What it's like to live in Holyoke
Holyoke is a small city in Massachusetts with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and hospitals with strong quality ratings. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Holyoke deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Strong hospital ratings
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- High poverty rate
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 37" per year
How Holyoke compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Holyoke
Based on Holyoke's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,042
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $40,840 a year
- 48% of Holyoke renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$54,820
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $27,410
- Homes cost 5.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 28% below US
$1,021/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,021 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $274,100. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $274,100 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 40% above US
6.0% unemployment
Unemployment here is 6.0%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 295% above US
1301 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 3589/100k · Holyoke Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 26% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 28% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary and 7 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is New England National Scenic Trail (8 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Holyoke's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,021/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up.
Other places near Holyoke
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